Originally Posted by
degnaw
No problem with it. Just yield to pedestrians, and use extreme care at intersections (at a minimum, slow to walking speed and check both ways).
^ This.
If you aren't confident to take the lane it that stretch you are better off not doing it IMHO. Just go slow and be extra-cautious during that 6 block stretch. Use it as kind of a physical (but not mental) break. If there are a lot of pedestrians you could always get off and walk the bike.